Chinook III Charter Fishing Report - May

The fishing has really picked up over the last fortnight as more summer fish turn up.

The good news is that there are a lot of Smooth Hounds turning up. A lot of these fish are small but there are a few better fish, the best reported to me at over 17lb. Best baits are peeler crab, hermit and ragworm but they will take lug and squid.

The Bass have shown in good numbers inshore with our best at 10lb and several more between 5 and 9lb plus lots of schoolies on or around the limit. Most of these bigger fish fell for a squid bait with the smaller schoolies taking lug and rag.

The Thornbacks have been prolific again both inshore and offshore with several fish around 15lb this season, there have been a few big Stingrays caught with the commercials reporting big fish returned alive. Most of the stingers have got their barbs and tails so handle with caution as the tails do thrash around, they will take squid, crab and ragworm. Most fish reported so far have been close inshore and in the Estuaries.

There have been mackerel and Garfish from Southend pier for several weeks now and we are seeing them on the feathers now. It won’t be long before we start to see the first Tope turning up.

Prospects are excellent, it genuinely feels like it is going to be a cracking summer.